Ahh thanks Bendyfoot! You gave me a much needed laugh. Yes, I think I internalized Teddy's hysterics after surgery... My childhood family dogs always came home from surgery looking tired and dopey. Teddy's reaction shocked me... it was like he was on amphetamines - unable to sit still, glassy and wild-eyed and crying hysterically - he was like a bull in a china shop, unable to calm down! The thought of that happening when he is stuck in a hospital clinic for two nights is extremely upsetting to me... which is why I will probably just drink coffee in their waiting room for two days or until I feel comfortable that he is ok... I know it sounds irrational, but I would do that if he was a human-baby, and it might be the only thing to calm me down.

And thanks for the perspective on amputations. Certainly I won't love him any less because he will still be perfect in my eyes. I have always had a tendency to "humanize him" and think of him as a human boy trapped in a dog's body... LOL

LOL you described the "anaesthetic hangover" perfectly! I pretty much had to pin Jaida down on the floor with one leg and one arm (a modified spooning ) to keep her from flailing everywhere Oh lordy, what a scene!!!

I totally understand about wanting to be close by...I'm a huge worry-wort, it takes all my self-control NOT to be on the phone every five seconds (Ring..."how is she now? OK? Alright, bye"...10 seconds later: Ring... "How about now? Still ok? Oh, alright"...repeat all day )

I'll give you a tip, though (and this one comes from my five years of working in a vet clinic)...sometimes, if a dog is very attached to his/her person and vice-versa, the mere presence of mom/dad can be enough to cause hysterics.

I can't tell you how many times I would see a dog screaming and flailing and OH THE HUMANITY over some little procedure (a shot, nail trim, stethoscope)...and that same dog, taken to the back treatment area away from mom/dad, just giving a big sigh and saying "well, alright then, if you must" and allowing whatever it was that needed to be done without a peep of fuss. And then that dog would go BACK to mom/dad in the waiting room and at the first sound of mom/dad's voice, the hysterics would begin again "OH MY GOD MOM THEY DID HORRIBLE, AWFUL THINGS TO ME, I CAN'T EVEN BEGIN TO TELL YOU!!!" Some dogs are a liiiiittle more sensitive (theatrical) than others So, sometimes it's good to take a break from the clinic, put the vet's number on speed dial, and just call to get updates